A prosecutor in California has criticized the state’s use of $239 million in taxpayer funds to construct a new prison rehabilitation facility in the Bay Area, claiming it underscores how some politicians prioritize criminals over law-abiding citizens.

Ongoing construction at San Quentin State Prison aims to create a Norway-inspired rehabilitation center featuring upscale amenities such as a grocery store, library, café, and farmer’s market. Initially, $360 million was set aside for the endeavor, but current estimates indicate that the project’s completion will cost taxpayers around $239 million, as reported by the San Francisco Chronicle.

According to the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, Building 38 at San Quentin State Prison was demolished to pave the way for this new facility. The state department emphasizes that the rehab center is a component of the “California Model,” a comprehensive strategy using internationally recognized, data-driven practices to enhance the well-being of individuals living and working in state prisons.

A construction plan for the project shows that the new San Quentin Rehabilitation Center will feature an education and vocational center, along with other amenities like a media center, library, grocery store, café and a learning center. An initial plan for the rehabilitation center states that the on-site farmer’s market will ideally be run by local producers.

Rendering of the San Quentin Rehabilitation Center (CDCR)

A rendering of the completed San Quentin Rehabilitation Center (CDCR)

“It appears that we’re prioritizing the criminals over the rest of us,” Hatami said. “And that’s a big problem I have is the priorities of this state seem to be, most of the time, tilted towards the criminal instead of looking at the rest of California and saying there’s so many other things that we should be funding that we can.”

Todd Javernick, spokesperson for the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, told the San Francisco Chronicle, “The holistic initiative leverages international, data-backed best practices to improve the well-being of those who live and work at state prisons.”

Construction is ongoing to complete the San Quentin Rehabilitation Center. (CDCR)

Crews work to clear the area where the San Quentin Rehabilitation Center is being built. (CDCR)

The San Quentin State Prison previously housed notorious criminals such as Charles Manson and Scott Peterson. As part of the plan to create the rehabilitation center, the prison was downgraded from maximum-security to minimum security.

Fox News Digital reached out to Newsom’s office and the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation for comment.